Clip for pens and pencils



Nov. 21, 1950 w. A. DAVIS 2,531,113

CLIP FOR PENS AND PENCILS Filed Jan. 22, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W 21,, 5 1 W. A. DAVIS cup FOR PENS AND PENCILS Filed Jan. 22, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 21, 1950 CLIP FOR' PENS AND PENCILS Wilbur Arthur Davis, Gibson City, 111., assignor of one-half to George Walter Davis, Gibson City, 111..

Application January 22, 1946, Serial No. 642,609

Claims.

The present invention generally relates to pencils and pens, and more particularly to a novel pocket clip therefor.

Heretofore pencil, fountain pen clips and the like have usually been made of a yieldable spring metal arm with a round lug or ball on the free end. This bar is so shaped asto normally bias the lug into engagement with the side of the pen, pencil or fountain pen cap on which it may be mounted, and to be applied must be forced apart by the upper rim of a pocket in a person's garment. Continued removal and replacement of the pencil or pen soon wears out the edge of the pocket and ruins the clothing, and the clip also usually loses its efliciency after a while and does not properly grip the cloth of the pocket below the pocket rim and the pen or pencil may become lost.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel clip which is adapted to freely ride over the rim of a pocket and thus avoid the constant wear above referred to, while also securely gripping the pocket after it is applied.

Another object is to provide a novel spring clip for fountain pen caps or the like having a pushbutton control for attachment and release of the clip,

Still another object is to provide a novel spring biased pocket clip, which is extremely durable and very securely clips in the pocket.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully by reference to the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawings, wherein are shown two embodiments thereof.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section view of the present invention applied to a fountain pen clip, showing the same in its normally closed position by the action of its novel spring attachment;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the fountain pen clip;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section view of a modification of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken through a fountain pen cap, for example, on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, showing another form of spring;

Fig. 5 is a view of the C-shaped spring detached;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation of the assembly of Figure 4; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View on the line 1-1 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first with reference to Figure 1, the clip is shown in combination with a fountain pen cap ID. This cap I0 is the usual closed end cylinder used on conventional fountain pens, and is provided with a tapered closed end ll.

Below the end I I, the cap I0 has defined therein a pair of transversely aligned apertures I2 and I3. These apertures may be of any desired shape, and are preferably made rectangular so as to receive therethrough one leg l5 of an L-shaped clip I4.

The other leg l6 of this clip extends downward longitudinally along the outside of the cap Ill, to predetermined length for most efiicient clipping action, adjacent 'a recess l8 defined in the outer wall of the cap H). The end of the leg I6 adjacent the recess 18 has formed therein a lug l9 slightly smaller than the recess [3, so as to seat in the recess. 1

The leg l5, which extends transversely throug the cap i0 is rounded on its free end to provide a button 20, and contains an angularly disposed notch 21. The notch 21 is located within the upper part of the cap IE], and anchors an end of a fiat spring 23 of V-configuration.

The spring 23 has the apex thereof extending toward the closed end of the cap l0, so that the free end 24 of the spring 23 is in pressing contact with the inner wall of the cap and thus normally biases the rectangular leg l5 in the direction of the arrow, shown in Fig. 1. This arrangement pulls 'the leg l6 of the clip with its lug [9 toward the body of the cap l0, and thus the lug I9 is normally firmly held seated in the recess !8.

The upper end of the cap it may be sealed closed or it may contain a threaded button closure 25, such as is common in most conventional fountain pens.

The operation of the clip is probably obvious enough from the foregoing description, however, the push-button actuation of this clip will be briefly described. For example, assuming the fountain pen is to be inserted in a pocket, button 20 is pushed inward against the pressure of the fiat spring 23 anchored at one end in the notch 2| of the leg 15. Such action causes the ends of fiat spring 23 to come toward each other and the leg l6 and its lug 19 to move outwardly from the body of the cap, so that lug l9 becomes free of recess [8.

The push-button 26 is held pushed in as the fountain pen with the cap I6 attached is slid into the pocket with the leg it of the clip on the outside of the pocket. After the upper edge of the pocket comessufiiciently close to the leg l5 then the button 20 is released and the spring 23 returned to its normal spread apart position, while simultaneously returning the lug l9 and a bit of the fabric of the pocket into recess l8.

Thus there is provided a safety clip that is arranged to freely pass over the rim of a pocket and adapted when in place to securely grip the cloth of the pocket, until released by pressure on the push-button arrangement above described.

The modification shown in Fig. 3 is identical with that of Figs. 1 and 2, except that the leg I6 is shown with two or more lugs l9 and a corresponding additional number of recesses or seats IE to receive the lugs.

The C-shaped form of spring shown in Fig. 4, is much the same in operation as the V-shaped spring 23, and accordingly is given the same general reference numeral on the drawings.

The C-shaped spring permits the L-shape clip M to be raised closer to the end I I of the cap Ill, thus providing for a longer clip. Also, it is found that some models of pens have less room in the top end of their caps, and prevent use of the V-type spring, whereas only limited space is needed for the C-shaped spring 23', see Fig. 5.

The C-shaped spring comprises a point 30, which digs into the inside of the cap bore, and an end portion 3| of the spring which fits into the notch 2|. From this end portion 3|, a stop 32 extends downwardly at substantially right angles from the loop of the spring 23 and firmly along and against the side of. the leg l5 just below the notch 2|. This stop 32 holds the C- shapedspring 23' in place and prevents it from turning, see Fig. 5. The spring rests fiat on the 1 top of leg l5 as shown in Fig. 4.

While I have shown and described my invention in detail and specifically shown it applied to a fountain pen cap, I wish it understood that such clip arrangement may be applied to any.

pocket attached implement. To determine the scope of my invention reference should be had to the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A safety clip for a hollow pocket attached implement, comprising an L-shaped member having one leg thereof extending through apertures aligned transversely of and formed through opposite walls of the implement, said leg being supported in said apertures for free reciprocal movement, the leg having a notch in the top side thereof, a long spring element bent transversely intermediate its ends to form two spaced end portions, said element bein housed in the top of the hollow implement and having one end portion engaged in said notch and pressing with its other end portion against the wall of the said implement to thereby normally bias the other leg of said L-shaped member into contact with a portion of the body of the implement, means on the end of the other leg of the member adapted to seat within means defined in the exterior of said implement, and the end of the said one leg of the L-shaped member being formed to provide a push-button for unseating said means.

2. A safety clip for a pocket attached fountain pen, comprising an L-shaped member having one leg thereof extending through apertures aligned transversely of and formed through opposite walls of the cap, said leg being supported across the cap and extending through said apertures for free reciprocal movement therein, the leg being of greater width than thickness and having the wide, faces parallel with the length of the cap, the top edge of the leg having a notch therein,

an initially long, flat spring bent transversely intermediate its ends, the spring being housed in the cap above said leg and having one of the ends thereof engaged in said notch and having the other end bearing against the wall of the cap and constantly urging the L-shaped member in a direction to move the other leg of the L-shaped member into contact with a portion of the body of the cap, a lug on the end of said other leg, the body of the cap having a recess in the outer surface thereof adapted to receive said lug, the said one leg of the L-shaped member having its free end projecting a substantial distance beyond the outer side of the cap and providing a finger actuated means for shifting the L-shaped member to move the said other leg thereof away from the body of the cap against the resistance of said spring.

3. A safety clip of the character stated in claim 2 wherein the said spring member is in the form of an inverted V positioned between the said one leg of the L-shaped member and the top of the cap with the apex of the V in the top of the cap and the ends of the V directed downwardly.

4. A safety clip for a pocket attached fountain pen, comprising an L-shaped member having one leg thereof extending through an aperture defined transversely of the thickness of the cap, said leg being of greater width than thickness and having the wide faces parallel with the length of the cap, an edge of the leg having a notch therein,'an initially long, fiat spring bent transversely intermediate its ends, the spring being housed in the cap and having one of the ends thereof engaged in said notchand having the other end bearing against the wall of the cap and constantly urging the L-shaped member in a direction to move the other leg of the L-shaped member into contact with a portion of the body of the cap, a lug on the end of said other leg, the body of the cap having a recess in the outer surface thereof adapted to receive said lug, the said one leg of the L-shaped member having its free end projecting a substantial distance beyond the outer side of the cap and providing a finger actuated means for shifting the L-shaped member to move the said other leg thereof away from the body of the cap against the resistance of said spring, the said spring being disposed on its side within the cap and to one side of the said one leg of the L-shaped member, one end of the spring resting upon the top edge of the said one leg.

5. A safety clip for a pocket attached fountain pen, comprising an L-shaped member having one leg thereof extending through an aperture defined transversely of the thickness of the cap, said leg being of greater width than thickness and having the wide faces parallel with the length of the cap, an edge of the leg having a notch therein, an initially long, fiat spring bent transversely intermediate its ends, the spring being housed in the cap and having one of the ends thereof engaged in said notch and having the other end bearing against the wall of the cap and constantly urging the L-shaped member in a direction to move the other leg of the L-shaped member into contact with a portion of the body of the cap, a lug on the end of said other leg, the body of the cap having a recess in the outer surface thereof adapted to receive said lug, the said one leg of the L-shaped member having its free end projecting a substantial distance beyond the outer side of the cap and providing a finger actuated means for Shifting the L-shaped member to move the said other leg thereof away from the body 5 of the cap against the resistance of said spring, the said spring being of substantially U form and disposed on its side with one end engaged against the top edge of the said one leg of the L-shaped member, the major portion of the spring being 5 positioned to one side of the leg.

WILBUR ARTHUR DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

Num er Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Lindley Feb. 22, 1898 Kritikson May 4, 1920 Rosa Dec. 10, 1940 Malis Apr. 1, 1941 Bauer et a1 -1 Apr. 1, 1947 Hull Apr. 1, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France of 1920 France of 1922 

